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<p>In summer 2022, extreme heatwaves affected many mountain ranges across the Northern Hemisphere—including the Himalaya, Alps, Rockies, and Tibetan Plateau—causing exceptional glacier mass loss. Chhota Shigri Glacier, a benchmark site for long-term monitoring in the western Himalaya, has recorded an average mass balance of − 0.47 ± 0.19&#xa0;m w.e. a⁻¹ over 2002–2023. The 2021–22 hydrological year was characterized by pronounced spring and summer warming, resulting in the most negative annual mass balance in the observational record (–1.71 ± 0.24&#xa0;m w.e. a⁻¹). In contrast, the following year (2022–23) exhibited a slightly positive mass balance (0.22 ± 0.27&#xa0;m w.e. a⁻¹), despite 2023 registering the highest global mean temperature on record. This anomalous outcome was associated with cooler spring conditions (–1.16&#xa0;°C anomaly) and exceptionally high summer precipitation. A major snowfall event in July 2023 delivered &gt; 300&#xa0;mm of precipitation over three days during the peak ablation season, increasing surface reflectivity and coinciding with a marked reduction in modeled melt. Although not derived from a full surface energy balance analysis, multiple independent indicators consistently support the interpretation of snowfall-induced melt suppression. Contrasting years such as 2021–22 and 2022–23 underscore the growing dominance of extreme weather events under continued warming. While positive mass balance years, such as 2022–23, represent a blip in the long-term glacier wastage trend, they should not be misinterpreted as a sign against ongoing climate change.</p>

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Impact of the 2022 heatwave and 2023 extreme summer snowfall on the mass balance of the Chhota Shigri Glacier, western Himalaya

  • 期刊论文

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月29日

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  • Himanshu Kaushik,
  • Mohd. Farooq Azam,
  • Md. Arif Hussain

摘要

In summer 2022, extreme heatwaves affected many mountain ranges across the Northern Hemisphere—including the Himalaya, Alps, Rockies, and Tibetan Plateau—causing exceptional glacier mass loss. Chhota Shigri Glacier, a benchmark site for long-term monitoring in the western Himalaya, has recorded an average mass balance of − 0.47 ± 0.19 m w.e. a⁻¹ over 2002–2023. The 2021–22 hydrological year was characterized by pronounced spring and summer warming, resulting in the most negative annual mass balance in the observational record (–1.71 ± 0.24 m w.e. a⁻¹). In contrast, the following year (2022–23) exhibited a slightly positive mass balance (0.22 ± 0.27 m w.e. a⁻¹), despite 2023 registering the highest global mean temperature on record. This anomalous outcome was associated with cooler spring conditions (–1.16 °C anomaly) and exceptionally high summer precipitation. A major snowfall event in July 2023 delivered > 300 mm of precipitation over three days during the peak ablation season, increasing surface reflectivity and coinciding with a marked reduction in modeled melt. Although not derived from a full surface energy balance analysis, multiple independent indicators consistently support the interpretation of snowfall-induced melt suppression. Contrasting years such as 2021–22 and 2022–23 underscore the growing dominance of extreme weather events under continued warming. While positive mass balance years, such as 2022–23, represent a blip in the long-term glacier wastage trend, they should not be misinterpreted as a sign against ongoing climate change.